Senior PHP Software Developer

Job Title: Senior PHP Software DeveloperWork Schedule: US Pacific Time business hoursSALARY: b/w INR 125,000 - INR 160,000 (depending on experience) OVERVIEWSeeking a seasoned Senior PHP Software Developer for a hands-on senior engineering role with technical leadership responsibilities.Will design, build, optimize, and lead - not just write code.Works on both web-based and headless, command-line–driven PHP applications, help modernize development practices, and elevate overall engineering standards across the organization.ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESSProduces high-quality, secure, maintainable PHP code.Improves existing systems through refactoring and optimization.Raises development standards across the team.Contributes to architectural and tooling decisions.Demonstrates ownership, accountability, and strong engineering judgment.TEAM STRUCTURE / REPORTING:1 US-based PHP Software Developer.IT Director (functions primarily as product owner, project manager, business process SME, occasional PHP development work).This person reports to IT Director and works closely with US based Developer.TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTCurrent Stack: Windows-based environmentIISPHPMySQL on Windows ServerAbility and interest in guiding a transition toward a modern, widely adopted technology stack.REQUIREMENTS - EXPERIENCE + QUALIFICATIONS Professional Background7+ years of professional PHP development experienceStrong background in object-oriented programming (OOP) and design patternsProven experience delivering production-grade systems (NOT prototypes)Leadership & OwnershipPrior experience leading software projects / small teamsAbility to:Define coding standardsSet technical directionReview and approve codeEnforce quality and security standardsComfortable mentoring developers and elevating team capabilityREQUIREMENTS - TECHNICAL PHP & FrameworksExpert-level PHP knowledgeStrong experience with a modern PHP framework (Laravel preferred)Deep understanding of:Application structureDependency injectionMiddlewareQueues, jobs, and background processingDevelopment ToolingStrong working knowledge of ComposerExpert-level use of Git, including:Branching strategiesMerging and conflict resolutionCode review and approval workflowsDaily use of an IDE (JetBrains PhpStorm strongly preferred)Databases & SQLStrong experience with MySQLExpert-level ability to:Write complex SQL queriesOptimize queries for performanceDesign scalable, high-performance schemasClear understanding of:IndexingQuery plansTransaction behaviorSecurityStrong experience writing secure, defensive codeWorking knowledge of OWASP Top 10 or similar secure coding standardsExperience mitigating vulnerabilities such as:Input validation flawsSQL injectionXSSCSRFAuthentication/authorization flawsCode QualityWrites clean, well-organized, readable, and well-documented codeFollows and enforces coding standardsUnderstands maintainability and long-term system healthPerformance & OptimizationExperience optimizing applications to minimize resource usage (CPU and RAM utilization)Comfortable working with headless PHP applications, CLI scripts, and scheduled/background tasksUnderstands real-world performance tradeoffsREQUIREMENTS – COMMUNICATIONStrong English written and verbal communication skillsAbility to communicate clearly with technical peers and non-technical stakeholdersComfortable working with a US based team during US Pacific Time business hoursAI USAGE EXPECTATIONSStrong experience using AI as a professional development tool.Understands where and how AI adds value (design review, refactoring, test generation, research, debugging).Does NOT rely on AI for uncontrolled “vibe coding”.Demonstrates judgment, verification, and ownership of all produced code.DESIRED / NICE TO HAVE Role prioritizes Software engineering excellence first. Infrastructure and cloud experience are a bonus, not a requirement.Modernization / Cloud - Experience with cloud platforms - Azure preferredFamiliarity with:Managed servicesPlatform-as-a-Service (PaaS)CI / CD pipelinesSecure publishing workflowsExposure to:NGINXContainerizationIdentity integration (SSO, Entra ID, conditional access)Ability to advise on cost-effective, low-maintenance hosting models

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